1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid electrophotographic printer, and more particularly, to an improved liquid electrophotographic printer which suppresses harmful matter generated in a printer body from being effused to the outside.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid electrophotographic printer, such as the color laser printer shown in FIG. 1, includes a paper feeding tray 8 for supplying and feeding print paper into a body 10 of the printer, and a paper discharging tray 9 for receiving the print paper discharged from the body 10. A photoreceptor belt 1 circulates around a plurality of guide rollers 2 which are mounted for rotation within the body 10. A plurality of laser scanners 4 form a latent electrostatic image on the photoreceptor belt 1, and a plurality of development devices 3 develop the latent electrostatic image. A transfer roller 5 transfers the developed image to the print paper fed between the transfer roller 5 and a fixation roller 6.
The development devices 3 supply a developer liquid having a liquid carrier mixed with a toner to the photoreceptor belt 1 to develop the electrostatic image. Accordingly, liquid carrier and toner are applied to the surface of the photoreceptor belt. A drying unit 7 evaporates the liquid carrier remaining on the photoreceptor belt.
The carrier, placed in a gaseous state by the drying unit 7, may then effuse into the environment through a paper path of the paper feeding tray 8 and paper discharging tray 9. Unfortunately, the carrier is hazardous. Therefore, the distribution thereof should be strictly controlled.